Interviews: Deep 6

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Melodic Metal band Deep 6 from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. “Lights Off” is a tribute to your late friend Christopher Moody. Can you share the story behind the song and what it means to the band?

Chris was a really great friend, and at his funeral, I got to see a lot of the old gang, and someone mentioned that it would be really cool if the band got back together. I managed to find an amp that I gave him on Facebook Marketplace. It was put on sale after he died and sold to someone else, and then I messaged that guy, and I asked him about it, and he told me we got it from him, and it was his, so now I have that again. And I just happened to run into Matt, the drummer at a different gig, and it just all kind of fell into place, and I wrote this song before I meant Matt, and I played it for him, and I was like, I want to do this live.

2. How did you approach balancing crushing riffs, clean vocals, and emotional weight in this track?

It's always been our style to have some really heavy parts, and then it opens up, and it's very melodic, and there's vocal harmonies. And then having some really nice heavy part and something that grooves. There's a lot of different influences there, but there's a big, broad range of things that I'm into.

3. What was the process like creating the music video for “Lights Off”? Any standout moments from the shoot?

The music video was really fun; we got to shoot it at Houston Scream Fest, which is a haunted house. I've been there a few times with my cover band, and they were really nice and let us shoot there. So that was really cool, being in that building and running around the different sets and checking everything out from behind the scenes. One of the funny things was this doll head that they found and were arguing about whether it was Mark Twain or Albert Einstein or something. It was really funny and made it into the video. The last shot had us being dumb and messing around. There's also a part where I switch, and I'm playing drums, if you look closely.

4. How does the 2022 EP reflect the evolution of Deep 6 since your breakout year?

There are two songs on that have lights off, which is definitely heavier; it's about suicide, it's dark. Then there's reflections, which took me several years to complete, and it's a reflection on love and things that go with that, and things that you miss or look past while in a relationship. So I think the evolution is that no matter when or where you are in life, things can change dramatically, and those changes are what break you.

5. Which track on the EP best represents the band’s current sound, and why?

I think they both do, but we're definitely going to get heavier and in your future and have a lot more progression and heavier guitar parts for sure with the addition of Tyler. He's really good at listening to what I want and then being able to add those sounds in.

6. How did Deep 6 form, and how has the band dynamic evolved with this lineup?

Deep 6 came together years ago, many, many years ago. Everything happened organically, and it just kind of worked and took a break for a while, and it's back but absolutely better than before. It's like everything in the beginning was a test run, and now I know what works.

7. What inspires your songwriting most: personal experiences, shared band chemistry, or broader themes?

I definitely write based on personal experiences. Most of the music I come up with myself, and then I listen back to it, and that will take me to a place mentally where I can write the words over it after I come up with a melody.

8. How do you translate your aggressive yet melodic sound into a powerful live performance?

Fairly easily, I think it just comes out. I close my eyes and let it happen. Most people are just staring at me, so I think that means they're into it or are shocked that there's clean vocals, and once they realize what's happening, then they seem like they are all about it.

9. What has been your most memorable show or tour moment so far, and why?

We played a Horror Market Festival in Houston, and there were a lot of actors there. I got to meet Julie Brown and had a really long conversation with her about her projects and what she's doing with them. I was ecstatic because there's this one spoof that she does called Medusa Dare to be Truthful, which is a spoof on Madonna's Truth or Dare Movie. If you haven't seen it, which you probably haven't seen it, nobody has seen this movie. I think it is perfect. It's one of the best spoof movies ever. It's up there with Scary Movie compared to Scream. If you're a Madonna fan, it is absolutely hilarious. She was so nice, and I hooked her up with a shirt, and she signed my movie. ❤️

10. Where do you see Deep 6 heading musically and geographically over the next year?

Definitely writing at least two to three more songs. I have quite a few ideas right now, but have not had the time to work them out yet. Geographically, I could see us doing something in the Midwest in the summer of 26.

11. Who would you say are your true musical influences, and which artists have had the biggest impact on shaping your sound?

For me personally, I enjoy Radiohead all the way to Cattle Decapitation. Do we sound like that? No, but you could say that those are influences because we can go very light, melodic, and pretty, and then get into really heavy riffs, but just not at their tempo. Definitely influenced by bands like Deftones, Korn, Gojira, and Opeth.

12. If you could collaborate with any band or artist, past or present, who would it be?

Depends on how weird we want to get. I love Thom Yorke, but probably just jam with Meshuggah.

13. Have fans ever shared reactions to your music that genuinely surprised or moved you?

I've been told that we've saved a few lives. That really moved me.

14. Any behind-the-scenes stories from the studio or the road that fans would get a kick out of?

I'd have to go back to our very first show, where we ended up playing with Billy Gibbons' son (the dude from ZZ Top). He showed up and was just completely hammered, and everyone kept buying him drinks, and he stayed the entire set and tried to talk to me afterwards, but he was just so wasted that he was just mumbling. I thought it was hilarious, and it was just so iconic to see this guy on TV, and then I saw his beard like hitting the ground, and I'm like, oh yeah, that's him, it was weird.

15. Are there any personal rituals, inside jokes, or hidden meanings behind songs on the EP that listeners might not know about?

Not so much on the EP but on a marquee that was at a venue we were playing at they put our name up as Deep G. So being from H-Town, we're now Deep G baby.

16. How do you stay authentic while blending melody and heaviness in today’s metal scene?

This is always an issue; we either are too light for bands or too heavy for other bands. We never fit on a bill with anyone; it's always awkward, so at this point, I'm just used to it. I try to pick songs that might work with other bands, but they usually don't. So people are either into it, or they're not, and it is what it is, and I don't really care.

17. What advice would you give to up-and-coming metal bands trying to create music that hits both hard and emotionally?

Just try to write down exactly what you feel, don't be afraid to show emotion through your lyrics. Most of it is subjective anyway, so you might have some deep, hidden meaning for yourself, and everyone else will read it differently. It's harder to be emotional in metal because a lot of people tend to write about specific subject matters, or they try to just be shocking or grotesque. Some metal bands are in it for the gag or the joke, or there are slam bands who just try to be ridiculous. So you have to find what you're trying to do or what you're into and just stick with that.

18. How do you keep your live shows engaging while performing technically demanding material?

I usually tell jokes in between things or just show my personality. I might get a few laughs or dirty looks, but I don't care.

19. Looking back, what has been the defining moment for Deep 6 as a band?

I would say it was when we got our first sponsorship with Jagermeister, a very long time ago, and just even saying the year makes me feel like I'm turning into dust. So I won't say what year that was, but it really showed everyone that we were really hard-working and tour-ready. Locally, it gave us a gigantic boost, and we earned respect pretty quickly from that. What I enjoyed was that people outside of Texas were enjoying what we were doing.

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